Jae-Hyun slashed creature after creature, his blade carving through its rotted flesh with ease. It crumbled into dust—but before he could catch his breath, two more took its place.
His eyes flicked toward Kaelzar.
The silent warrior was locked in combat as well, his blows blows shaking the battlefield with each impact. He couldn’t afford to help Jae-Hyun.
That meant—he was on his own.
The creatures swarmed him from every direction.
Jae-Hyun’s stamina was dropping.
His breath came in short, labored bursts. His swings grew slightly slower. He had been fighting all day, and now, the weight of exhaustion was catching up to him.
This is bad.
One of the creatures lunged for his exposed side—Jae-Hyun twisted, barely dodging in time. But another clawed at his back, leaving a burning gash across his shoulder.
His health dropped.
Warning: Health at 62%.
His mind was working overtime, but his body was starting to betray him.
The swarm kept coming. More than he could cut down.
For the first time, he felt his body starting to slow.
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Jae-Hyun checked the wave timer.
[02:52:31] remaining.
Almost three hours left.
His stomach twisted.
I can still run.
If I just survive until the timer runs out… I win the wave.
He took a shaky breath, his hands tightening around his sword.
The system never said he had to kill everything. He could just—hold out.
For a second, he entertained the idea.
Just running. Dodging. Avoiding.
His fingers brushed against the last mana potion strapped to his belt.
I could drink this and keep going… but is it worth it?
His hand shook.
Should he… just run?
For the first time since entering this hellscape, Jae-Hyun seriously considered giving up.
Not because he wanted to.
But because he didn’t know if he had enough left to win.
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Jae-Hyun gritted his teeth and forced himself to move.
His sword whipped through the nearest creature’s neck, buying him a few seconds of breathing room.
But it wasn’t enough. The horde was endless, closing in from every direction.
His mind raced.
I need space.
He pivoted sharply, kicking off the ground and dashing toward the nearest jagged rock formation. His muscles screamed in protest, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t.
A few of the monsters chased after him, but their movements were sluggish compared to his. He vaulted over a crumbling ledge, twisting midair to cut down a lunging creature before landing roughly on the other side.
His lungs burned. His stamina bar was nearing the red.
He pressed his back against the rock, gripping his sword tightly.
For the first time in hours, he wasn’t being attacked.
His mind caught up with his body.
He exhaled sharply. Do I run?
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Jae-Hyun clenched his jaw, his body wavering, muscles screaming in protest.
And then—
A hand gripped his wrist.
Not an enemy’s.
Kaelzar.
The silent warrior didn’t say a word. His other hand snatched the mana potion from Jae-Hyun’s belt and shoved it into his palm.
A single, clear message:
Keep fighting.
Jae-Hyun’s eyes widened.
Even in the middle of his own battle, Kaelzar had noticed.
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Noticed that Jae-Hyun was about to break.
Noticed that he was on the verge of giving in.
And Kaelzar wasn’t letting him.
The warrior didn’t look back as he turned away, returning to his own fight.
Jae-Hyun’s grip tightened around the potion.
His heartbeat steadied.
A long, slow breath escaped him.
And then—he drank.
The burning rush of mana flooded his veins, the weight on his limbs lifting slightly. His fingers felt stronger. His mind sharper.
His exhaustion wasn’t gone.
But it wasn’t enough to stop him anymore.
Jae-Hyun raised his sword.
Fine. If you won’t let me give up…
Then I’ll cut my way out of this.
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Jae-Hyun gritted his teeth, the renewed energy from the mana potion barely dulling the exhaustion that clung to his body like a suffocating weight.
He still had two hours left in the wave.
He wasn’t going to last that long like this.
The creatures were still pouring in, endless and unrelenting. Even with Kaelzar cutting them down, they just kept coming.
I can’t win this alone. Not like this.
Jae-Hyun clenched his fist. He had nearly given up. Not again. Not now. He exhaled sharply, gripping his sword. If he was going to survive this, he needed more than just himself. His gaze lifted, eyes burning with resolve. The fractured earth beneath him trembled as he reached into the abyss.
His fingers twitched as he reached into the depths of his system. He had been saving this option—trying to conserve as much as possible—but now wasn’t the time to be stubborn.
From the cracks in the corrupted wasteland, black mist erupted, tendrils of shadow stretching outward like writhing hands clawing their way into existence.
A horrific chorus of bone and metal grinding together filled the air as skeletal warriors tore free from the abyss.
Their armor was cracked, their weapons rusted—but their movements were precise, unwavering. An army born from death itself.
At the front of them all, Kaelzar stood tall.
The silent general didn’t speak, didn’t acknowledge Jae-Hyun’s command—but he moved, shifting into the center of the undead ranks, taking command as if he had always been meant to lead them.
The battlefield erupted.
Kaelzar’s darkened sword cut through the nearest creatures, his sheer presence alone empowering the horde to press forward.
Jae-Hyun took a shaky breath, gripping his sword.
This wasn’t just about surviving anymore.
This was about taking control of the battlefield.
And he wasn’t going to let this summoner dictate the fight any longer.
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With Kaelzar and the undead horde leading the charge, the tide of battle shifted.
The monstrous entity still fought, its massive frame swinging with reckless force, but Kaelzar met it head-on, his blade parrying the creature’s powerful blows.
Meanwhile, Jae-Hyun’s eyes locked onto Tarnas.
The summoner had taken a step back.
No. He wasn’t retreating. He was calculating.
Jae-Hyun moved.
With a burst of speed, he closed the distance, his sword slashing toward Tarnas’ cloaked figure—
But before his attack could land, Tarnas’ lips curled into a smirk.
A pulse of dark energy erupted from his body, a violent burst of magic that sent Jae-Hyun skidding backward.
System Warning: Unstable Mana Surge Detected.
Jae-Hyun barely caught himself. His arms tensed as he watched the summoner raise his hand again.
Another summoning?
No.
This was different.
Tarnas was trying to escape.
His figure began to flicker, shadows coiling around him as if to swallow him whole.
Jae-Hyun wouldn’t let him.
He pushed forward.
A skeletal warrior lunged toward Tarnas, but the summoner snapped his fingers—and the undead crumbled to dust instantly.
He was powerful. Too powerful to let escape.
Jae-Hyun gritted his teeth and dashed forward.
The summoner was just moments away from disappearing.
But then—
A shadow loomed behind Jae-Hyun.
Kaelzar.
The silent general had seen it too.
With one swift movement, Kaelzar’s blade cut through the swirling darkness surrounding Tarnas.
The summoner’s eyes widened in realization.
Jae-Hyun didn’t hesitate.
His sword pierced through Tarnas’ chest.
The summoner let out a sharp gasp, blood spilling from his lips. His body convulsed violently, his magic faltering.
For a brief moment, his gaze locked onto Jae-Hyun.
Not with fear.
Not with anger.
But with a strange, knowing amusement.
And then—his body collapsed, dissolving into nothingness.
Tarnas, the Darkened – Defeated.
Jae-Hyun exhaled, his sword dripping with black ichor.
It was over.
And as if responding to its master’s demise, the remaining summoned creatures faltered.
Their forms began to wither, their bodies collapsing in on themselves.
The monstrous entity staggered, its overwhelming presence fading.
It had no will of its own.
Without its summoner, it was just a mindless beast.
Kaelzar moved first—a single, decisive strike, and the creature fell.
Silence.
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The battlefield was still.
Jae-Hyun’s breath came in slow, deep gulps. His hands still trembled slightly, the sheer exhaustion pressing down on him like a lead weight.
But he was still standing.
He glanced toward Kaelzar.
The silent warrior stood motionless, his dark armor still gleaming under the twisted, crimson sky.
Something had changed.
Jae-Hyun had fought alongside many—his undead horde, fleeting allies in the past—but Kaelzar was different.
This wasn’t just a summon.
Kaelzar had saved him.
Jae-Hyun clenched his fists.
He had almost given up.
Almost run away.
But Kaelzar hadn’t let him.
Jae-Hyun exhaled, shoulders sagging. His fingers trembled against his blade, but he stayed standing. Kaelzar stepped forward, his crimson aura flickering, before silently turning toward him.
For the first time, Jae-Hyun felt something other than obligation toward his shadow summon.
It wasn’t just about using Kaelzar’s strength.
It was about trust. Not a summon. Not a shadow.
A comrade.
Jae-Hyun looked ahead.
Tomorrow would be worse.
If today had been this brutal—what was coming next?
Jae-Hyun exhaled, his grip tightening on his sword.
There was no time to celebrate.
There was no time to hesitate.
He turned toward Kaelzar, giving the silent warrior a single, firm nod.
Kaelzar didn’t respond, but he understood.
Jae-Hyun was ready.
The next day awaited.